Habster:

Well, it looks like the post Brodeur injury jocking has already started with Blackhawks GM Dale Tallon proactively trying to unload highly paid Nikolai Khabibulin onto Lou Lamoriello.

The New Jersey Devils appear to have the cap space to accommodate Khabibulin’s salary with just over $2 million available plus approximately $3-$3.5 million from Martin Brodeur’s $5.2 million salary (his salary will not count against the cap during his time on the injury reserve list).

Lamoriello will most likely wait until he can evaluate Kevin Weekes level of play and whether he can carry the load. He will also want to wait until the Blackhawks eat more of Khabibulin’s hefty salary which other teams won’t touch anyway until closer to the trade deadline.

Give Tallon credit for doing his job and being proactive with trying to free up some cap space to improve his team…..the plot thickens!!

Here’s the excerpt from the Chicago Daily Herald article by Tim Sassone:

Shortly after the news broke Tuesday morning that New Jersey Devils all-star goalie Martin Brodeur would be lost for up to four months with a biceps injury, Blackhawks general manager Dale Tallon told the Daily Herald he planned to talk with Devils GM Lou Lamoriello.

If Lamoriello is looking for an alternative to backup Kevin Weekes, the Hawks might hold the answer in available veteran Nikolai Khabibulin.

Despite Khabibulin’s strong 4-1-2 start (2.38 goals-against average and .919 save percentage), the Hawks remain ready to move the 35-year-old goaltender in order to get his $6.75 million salary cap hit off the books.

The Hawks then would turn around and use that money in their pursuit of a top-six forward.